Sunday, July 18, 2010

Really, It’s a Pattern?

Okay so it was brought to my attention that I have this crazy habit of creating new characters for new books in the middle of second books I am writing. I know it doesn't make a whole lot of sense, so let me break it down for you. (Believe me I didn't recognize it until one of my dearest friend pointed it out. Besides the fact she keeps telling me she just holds on for the ride!)

I wrote Prototype in a year. I started the next book for Prototype, Hindsight's 20/20 right away. It was about 5 chapters into that book when Wilson Mooney decided to be born. Six and a half months later I have a completed manuscript for Wilson Mooney. And again as patterns repeat, I started immediately on the second book for Wilson Mooney titled, Almost 18. Now I know what you're thinking, what about Hindsight's 20/20? Well, it is frozen in chapter 7(just until I can get back to it). Okay, so I started Almost 18, eight pages into to it to be exact, when Ophelia's Promise introduced itself.

Do you see the pattern? Finish the first manuscript start the second one then start another story. A pattern I was totally unaware of. Now what causes that? Burn out of the characters I've just poured my soul into? A continuum of ideas that force you to tell the story of a character that isn't like any of the others? Different perspectives? You're inner voice that tells you every day, write something better? Who knows, all I can think of is that breath of fresh air when creating a new character. It invokes an unexplainable excitement to see what story is about to unfold from my mind.

You can call me crazy but when I get into a writing frenzy I lose track of time and space. I don't know where the characters come from, and I really don't care to know, as long as they continue to present themselves. It starts with a feeling that they need to be born and their stories have to be told. I don't dream them or outline their stories; instead they just come to me as my fingers type on the keys of my laptop. Maybe they are created from the feelings that lurk very shallow and extremely deep in the crevasses of my life experiences and serendipitous thoughts.

So I figured out what I need to do.

I have to take a mental step back from my pattern, finish my seconds, all while I keep editing my firsts, and just hold on firm to my third.

What kind of pattern is that called, Writer's ADD?

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